MLS Chicago Fire FC

Chicago Fire Announce Carlos de los Cobos as New Head Coach

Published on January 11, 2010 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Chicago Fire FC News Release


CHICAGO -- The Chicago Fire Soccer Club today announced that the club has appointed Carlos de los Cobos as new head coach. De los Cobos brings more than 30 years of soccer experience-both as a professional soccer player and coach-throughout Mexico and Central América. He has played for and coached some of Mexico's most prestigious teams, including Club América, UANL Tigres and Monterrey. He becomes the fifth head coach for the Fire as it enters its thirteenth season in 2010. De los Cobos, 51 years of age, was most recently head coach of the El Salvador national team, a post he held from 2006-2009. During this time, the team managed to reach the last phase of the CONCACAF's qualifying stage (the Hexagonal) at the 2010 World Cup Qualifiers for the first time in 12 years. De los Cobos is credited with changing the international perception of El Salvadoran soccer during his nearly four years with the club, along with reviving a national sentiment of pride. He also coached Club América of the Mexican Primera Division. In addition, de los Cobos played for Club América as a defender, as well as for Querétaro FC and CF Monterrey.

"The Fire's priority in the head coach search was to identify someone with a love for the game and a track record of quality results. Carlos' extensive soccer knowledge, experience and success as both a coach and player made him an ideal candidate, and we're excited he has decided to join the Fire family," said Fire Technical Director Frank Klopas. "Our owner is especially committed to not just maintain our club's history of tradition, honor and passion but to build on it, and I know that Carlos fully embraces this philosophy. He will provide the veteran leadership the club needs, while also offering the passion that will fuel a winning spirit on- and off-the-pitch. We truly believe he has the passion and enthusiasm to inspire both our fans and our players, and that he will help us bring an MLS Cup back to Chicago."

"I'm thrilled about the opportunity to coach the Chicago Fire, and I appreciate the generous support of Frank Klopas and Mr. Hauptman and the entire Fire organization. This is a club whose owner, players and fans have the kind of passion for the game that rivals many I've worked with in Mexico. It's truly the kind of environment I thrive in," said de los Cobos. "Coaching a team in Major League Soccer, which is the most exciting and emerging league in all professional soccer, in a vibrant city like Chicago, was truly an opportunity I could not pass up. I'm going to work everyday to bring an MLS Cup back to this great club and their passionate fans."

De los Cobos was introduced as the new Fire head coach today at a press conference at the home of the Chicago Fire, TOYOTA PARK. Terms of the contract were not disclosed. The Fire's head coach search included several candidates from three continents, as well as from within Major League Soccer (MLS).

"Carlos will be a tremendous asset to the Fire on every level," Fire President Dave Greeley added. "The Fire organization is fully focused on creating a quality experience for our fans, including a winning and passionate style of play and Carlos will be a significant contributor to that goal in 2010."

Prior to his most recent position, De los Cobos has managed seven teams in his native country of Mexico from 1993-2004, including the Olympic Mexican team as well as the U-21 and U-23 national teams. He has also served several times as the assistant head coach of the Senior Mexican national team. De los Cobos began his coaching career in the same year as his last year as a player, taking command of Querétaro FC from 1993-1994. In 1994, he spent a short period with Club Pachuca in Mexico's Primera División "A" (second division) before crossing cities to coach UANL Tigres for two years (1994-1995).

In 1996, de los Cobos was assigned as the assistant coach of the Mexican national team that won the CONCACAF's 1996 Gold Cup, defeating Brazil, 2-0, before taking over the 1996 Olympic Mexican squad's direction that included players like Cuauhtémoc Blanco, Jorge Campos, Oswaldo Sanchez, Claudio Suarez, and Luis García. Later that year, de los Cobos was named head coach of Mexico's giant Club América.

In 2000-2001 de los Cobos continued his club-coaching career in CF Celaya before he was designated to coach the U-23 national team coach in 2002. He led the Mexican squad to a second-place finish in the 2002 Central American and Caribbean games in San Salvador, El Salvador. After another silver medal achievement, he would eventually manage three clubs from 2003-2004 including Deportivo Irapuato, Querétaro FC and Lobos de UAP. In 2005-2006, de los Cobos managed El Salvador's powerhouse club CD FAS for a tournament, finishing as runner-ups of the Clausura 2006 with a 7-5-9 overall record.

De los Cobos' playing career spanned a total of 17 years including a winning stint with Club América of the Mexican Primera Division. He made his debut with Querétaro FC, from the Segunda División, in 1977. After spending two seasons with Querétaro, de los Cobos moved to América, where he spent a season with the reserves before being promoted to the first squad as a defender from 1979-1989 where he anchored the defense to win five league titles. After a successful time with América, he would spend time with two different clubs from 1989-1994 before retiring. He spent two stints with C.F. Monterrey, one from 1989-1991 and the other one from 1992-1993, where he led the team to a second-place finish; and two stints with Querétaro FC: one from 1991-1992 and one from 1993-1994 to end his vast playing career.

In addition, de los Cobos represented the Senior Mexican National team, where he accumulated 25 caps from 1983 to 1986, appearing in the 1986 World Cup. He played an integral role as the team reached the quarter final stage (the farthest that Mexico has ever advanced in the country's history along with 1970) before being defeated by then West Germany in a penalty shootout, 4-1.

With the 1986 Mexican squad, de los Cobos played alongside notable figures including current Mexican National team coach Javier Aguirre, Alfredo Tena and Hugo Sánchez.

The Chicago Fire have made it to the MLS playoffs in 11 of 12 seasons of play, including 2008 and 2009, where the club fell short of the MLS Cup Championship by one game, losing to the 2009 MLS Cup champs Real Salt Lake in penalty kicks before a sold-out crowd at TOYOTA PARK in the Eastern Conference Championship.

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